Instructions: Slice the mushrooms thinly but tear the girolles chanterelles and blewits in half. Dont cook all the mushrooms at once do them in 2 or 3 batches.

In a very hot pan heat a tablespoon of olive oil and add the mushrooms and thyme.

Cook for about 1 minute toss them then add the garlic and a pinch of salt. (It is important with mushrooms to season them slightly as they cook.)

Cook for another couple of minutes and then taste if they are nicely cooked add some parsley a very small pinch of chilli powder and a squeeze of lemon juice. Toss again taste again by now they should be pretty much perfect.

Chop half the cooked mushrooms.

At basic recipe Stage 2 after the first ladle of stock has been added add the chopped mushrooms and add the remainder at Stage 3.

The nice thing about mushroom risotto is that you can use just one or a mixture of your favourite mushrooms. The supermarkets now have such a good selection of fresh mushrooms: field oysters shitake chestnut pieds de mouton girolles chanterelles and blewits. I try not to wash mushrooms as they soak up the water (which you dont want) and the mushrooms end up being boiled. Just gently brush off any dirt or dust with a pastry brush or a teatowel. You can make a good risotto with dried mushrooms; dried porcini are very good and reconstitute easily.

Serves 6

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